Source: Singapore Red Cross
Date: 11 May 2004

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Singapore Red Cross launches appeal for victims of the North Korea Train Explosion

The Singapore Red Cross (SRC) has launched an appeal to raise funds for victims of the North Korea train disaster that occurred on Thursday, 22 April 2004 in Ryongchon County. This is in response to the appeal for foreign help issued by the government of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) as well as the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC).
The accident at the Ryongchon railway station in the North Pyongan Province, happened during the middle of the day when two rail wagons, believed to be loaded with ammonium nitrate, blew up during a shunting operation with fuel oil wagons. The blast obliterated the station and the immediate vicinity, causing severe damage within a radius of four kilometres. Over 161 people have been killed, half of them children whose nearby school was destroyed during the incident. DKPR Red Cross and IFRC officials in Ryongchon have confirmed that about 1,300 people have been injured and more than 700 hospitalised. Several thousands have also been left homeless when the massive explosions destroyed their apartments and houses.

Residents in Ryongchon town, with an estimated population of 27,000 people, are now facing disruptions to supplies of electricity, water and communications. A large number of public buildings including the county hospital were also damaged. Damage to the hospital has reduced the facility's capacity and as a result, the more severely wounded victims have been sent to the North Pyongan provincial hospital at Sinuiju near the Chinese border.

The severity of the accident has resulted in a rare call for help from the DPRK government. North Korea's Deputy United Nations Ambassador Kim Chang Guk in New York had earlier told the media: "In Pyongyang, we already hold out our hands to the world community." He added: "I think it is very serious because our government held out hand to the world community for help ... it means it is a great incident."

The appeal launched by the Singapore Red Cross, aims to raise funds to support the humanitarian efforts of the IFRC as well as the DPRK Red Cross. SRC will be using the funds raised to support immediate needs such as the provision of basic medical supplies as well as the provision of household items to help affected victims, many of whom have lost all of their belongings, to rebuild their lives.

The Singapore Red Cross would like to encourage members of the public to support this appeal. Those wishing to make contributions can send a cheque, made payable to the "Singapore Red Cross Society" with "North Korea Train Accident" written on the back, to Red Cross House, 15 Penang Lane, Singapore 238486. Donors should include their names, contact number and address. Cash contributions can also be made in person at the above address during office hours - 9 am to 6 pm from Mondays to Fridays and 9 am to 12.30 pm on Saturdays.

The Singapore Red Cross requests no donations in kind due to logistical constrain.